


Malum Direxerunt

by orphan_account



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Good Peter, Hogwarts, Marauders, Marauders' Era, Minor Sirius Black/Remus Lupin, Mischief, One Shot, Sirius Black & James Potter Friendship, Werewolf Remus Lupin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-22
Updated: 2017-01-22
Packaged: 2018-09-18 10:11:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9379838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: "In the jungle..." James crooned, much to Remus's dismay."No.""The mighty jungle..." Sirius continued, an obvious grin in his voice."Why can't I have normal friends?" Remus deadpanned, groaning into his hands."The werewolf sleeps tonight!" They screeched together, sounding like a pair of banshees.





	

**Author's Note:**

> In case you're wondering, the title is Latin for Mischief Managed. This is the story of how there was a rule of not having levitating beds.

Remus sluggishly closed his eyes before opening them, sighing regretfully just to punctate his helpless mood. He glared with conviction at the blank parchment. He had next to no time to complete his Charms essay on cheering charms, which had to be a minimum of 14 inches. Remus closed his eyes again, resting his head against the table, his arms sheilding his head. He had procrastinated for two entire days, when he could of been working and could've gotten this out of the way. He was lucky that the entire common room was deserted, as at least he got the comfy seat directly in front of the fire. The rest of the students had gone to eat dinner at the Great Hall.

"A wima way, a wima way, a wima way, a wima way...." 

Remus huffed in mixed amsument and annoyance, not even bothering to look behind him.

"In the jungle..." James crooned, much to Remus's dismay.

"No."

"The mighty jungle..." Sirius continued, an obvious grin in his voice.

"Why can't I have normal friends?" Remus deadpanned, groaning into his hands.

"The werewolf sleeps tonight!" They screeched together, sounding like a pair of banshees.

Remus bit back a laugh, instead pretending to be absorbed in a book called  _Flying Through the Ages._ James snorted, flopping carelessly on the chair besides him. 

" _I'm_ doing the homework Flitwick gave me, it's due in soon." Remus said, as though that would hold any meaning to the two people that avoided schoolwork like the plague.

"Two days, Mooney! Ol' Prongs over there isn't even bothering to do it." Sirius rolled his eyes fondly, then claiming the other chair next to Remus. 

"The whole 'some niffler stole my homework' is getting a bit old. What's your excuse for not doing it this time?" Remus asked. James grinned easily.

"Dog ate my homework. It's becoming a  _serius_ problem, don't you think?"

"Couldn't agree more." Sirius agreed breezily. Remus allowed a quick smile before setting down the Quidditch book that was still grasped in his hands. He began to start the homework, not noticing the conspiring glances overhead.

"Hey, Mooney. Padfoot and I have an idea."

Remus raised an eyebrow. 

"You always have  _ideas,_ James." He muttered, before adding, "And they're always bad ones."

"Yes, but  _this_ idea is a good one!" James protested, indignantly. 

"That's what you said about trying to break into the Ravenclaw common room and nick all the furniture. The only way  _I_ got you out of trouble is because one of the oldest headmasters said that no student could be punished on the second half moon of each month."

"And we thank you for that." Sirius said solomnly. James nodded in agreement.

"But we found a loophole that means we can stay out all night, _and_ not get into trouble." 

"What is it?" Remus asked, intrigued. James pulled a large, worn book named " _A_ _ll_ _Rules of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry"._ The spine of the book was still somehow together, although it looked as though it would suddenly collapse. The book was open at page 394 and 395 of what seemed like thousands of pages.

" _All students must stay in bed at 10pm."_ Sirius grinned, as though it made perfect sense. There was a pause in which James stifled a giggle.

"I don't get it." 

"Must stay _in bed."_ James repeated.

Remus didn't get it until he did.

 

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Peter asked nervously, tugging on the over-large robe sleeves his mother said he would "grow into". The rest of the Gryffindors had already entered the common room. They hadn't even bothered to ask about the mattresses, used to their antics.

"Course. Though if you're going to back out, it's a bit late now." James grinned as he gestured towards the mattresses on the floor in front of them. Remus was perched on one, continuing his homework.

"What time is it now?" Sirius asked impatiently. 

"9:58. Two minutes." Peter replied. Silence fell upon them, only broken by the occasional scratch of Remus' quill.

"What'll Evans say when she finds out?" Sirius questioned, feigning innocence.

"Shut up." James said, ignoring the question. 

"It's ten now." Peter commented. James grinned before opening the common room door.

 " _Wingardium Leviosa_." James carefully levitated the mattress and brought it out of the portrait hole and into the empty corridor. The other three followed closely behind, the last being Peter.

"Sorry about this, but we're going to have to enter again later tonight." Peter shrugged ruefully at the Fat Lady's agitated and outraged expression.

"You should be. One more of your shenanigans and I'll be obligated to report you to the Head boy." The Fat Lady warned. Peter suddenly looked uncomfortable.

"What's the hold up?" James asked. 

"The Fat Lady wants us to stop sneaking out at night." Peter replied, tugging on his red and yellow tie with nervousness.

"Just  _The Lady_ will do, I don't understand why you insist on adding 'fat.'" She snapped.

"It's not that bad, you kniw. You could be called The Morbidly Obese La-" Peter began, eyeing up the exits.

"Oh,  _hello,_ stout child. Yes, you can bother me at midnight while I'm trying to sleep, stout child. Not very nice, is it?" She snapped, gesturing wildly. Peter grimaced and edged away, indistinct shouts following him.

"Don't worry about that, Stout child." Sirius chortled. Peter flushed slightly, looking disgruntled. 

"Come on, let's do this." Remus stifled a yawn. James grinned.

" _Wingardium Leviosa._ " Remus muttered, kneeling on the bed. It rose up a few feet before hovering slightly above the ground.

 He was quickly joined by James and Sirius, and, after a few seconds, Peter.

"Apollyon Pringle will have your heads for this!" The Fat Lady threatened. Sirius barked a laugh at the thought of the haggard caretaker screeching loudly at the four as they hovered above him.

"Let's go pay a visit to the kitchens." James grinned. The bed was now moving down the corridor. Remus had a brief moment of hesitation before following.

 

They hadn't gotten very far before Peeves had discovered them.

"You're going to get into trouble, Potty and Co." Peeves sung, weaving in and out of the floating mattresses. 

"Shut up, Peeves." 

"I'm sure Pringle will be  _very_ _inter_ -ested to discover four wee griffindors flying across the halls at night." 

"Shut  _up,_ Peeves. Go bother a first year and leave us alone." Sirius snapped at the annoying poltergeist.

"Oh, acting nasty today, aren't we? I'm sure a  _grown up_ would be able to teach you some manners. _Students out of bed! Students by the Hufflepuff common room!_ " 

As though Peeves' calling had been a portkey, Pringle appeared out of nowhere, gnarled grin placed on his smug face.

"Out late... Again. Potter, Black, Lupin, Pettigrew. My office.  _Now."_

"Your office is more like a broom cupboard." Sirius commented under his breath.

"I can hear." The old man snarled. There was a pause in which James cursed at Peeves for interrupting their journey.

"Out of bed..." Pringle tutted. James snorted.

"Technically, we aren't out of bed." He pointed out.

"Talking back,  _and_ out of bed? Worth two days' detention, at least." Pringle continued, smirking proudly.

"We're still in bed." James repeated, grinning slowly.

"No you're no-" Pringle began, before cutting himself off. He seemed to mull over the image before him, his eyes bulging slightly at the realisation that James was right. He snarled, unsure of what to say, but unwilling to let them go unharmed. He blinked stupidly. At that moment, the severe head of the Griffindor house marched down the hall.

" _What_ is going on?" She asked, looking bewildered.

"Minerva, perfect timing. These boys are out of bed and strutting down the corridors, again, defiling the castle with their misbehaviour, mocking us staff members-"

"I am quite aware of what is happening, Apollyon. I will deal with these four." McGonagall interrupted.

 

"Why is it, when something happens, it always has  _something_ to do with _you four_?"

"Professor-" Sirius began, before being stopped by a held up palm. 

"The Loophole is well known amongst staff, there is no need to explain."

Sirius exchanged surprised looks with Remus. James raised his eyebrows.

"Why wasn't there a rule to stop us doing this then?" He asked, gesturing at the four mattresses neatly stacked in front of them. 

"Professor Dumbledor wanted to wait until someone discovered the loophole. In his words; 'you are only young once.'"

Remus could hear the mixture of respect and slight disapproval in McGonagall's tone of voice.

"May I remind you that you are still out late. You will also be glad to know that a new rule will be added to stop stunts like yours in the future."

"But what about the mattresses, Professor? It was hard enough trying to get them downstairs."

"Did you consider a shrinking and enlarging spell?" She asked simply, most likely aware of the swearing and shouts of 'pivot!' that had went on. "The house elves have already placed another mattress in your dorm, which you will return to immediately. You are dismissed." 

As soon as they left the office, James let out a laugh.

"We dodged a bullet, Padfoot."  

"Sure. That wasn't so bad, right, Mooney?" Sirius shrugged, before placing a lazy arm around Remus' shoulders. Remus shrugged his shoulders, face slightly flushed.

 

 

 

 

Fred frowned at the tattered rule book. After staying up late with George to discover some loopholes, he had only found one ("Students must not buy fireworks when visiting Hogsmead- he could still light them and bring them into the castle). There was a strange rule that looked as though were written a long time ago, and had similar handwriting to McGonagall's.

**_All students must not levitate and travel on top of any beds unless instructed to by a professor._ **

Fred shrugged and continued reading.

**Author's Note:**

> I know the timeline doesn't match up to certain things, but \\_(^~^)_/ Anyone notice the references?


End file.
